Waltee g



(No Model.) W. G. GARTH.

WIRE STRETOHER.

No. 291,710. Patented Jan. 8, 1884.

v W W 1 MW M Witnesses:

NITED STATES WALTER G. GARTH, OF LODEBAR, VIRGINIA.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,710, dated January 8, 1881.

Application filed June 19, 1883. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER G. GARTH, of Lodebar, Nelson county, in the State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wire-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and accurate description of the same.

The principal use for implements of this kind is the stretching the wires constituting a wire fence, and for this purpose many devices have been made. They all include means for holding the wires, and means whereby a drawing or stretching force may be ap plied.

The object of my improvement is to constitute an implement whereby the wire may be automatically gripped with a pressure proportionate to the force applied to stretch said wire, with the minimum number of parts and the maximum degree of compactness and simplicity.

My invention therefore consists in a gripper or forceps with jaws adapted to grip a small rod or wire, and the ends of the handles or shanks curved toward and past each other, to form a loop, through which a straining bar or lever may be inserted, the effect thereof being to force said ends asunder, and correspondingly force the jaws toward each other, and thereby grip the wire with pressure proportionate to the force exerted by said lever.

That others may fully understand my invention, I will particularly describe it, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my wirestretcher in operation. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

The two parts a b of my stretcher constitute two levers of the first order. They are pivoted together at c, and provided with opposing gripping jaws d e. If desired, these jaws may be provided with several grips adapted to different sizes of wire, as shown, and said '45 jaws also project laterally, so that the wire concavely toward each other, so as to form an open space or loop, through which the le ver-bar it may be inserted, one end resting against the post P. The backward pressure of the bar It against the handles of parts a b tends to' force them apart, and to force the j aws (Z 6 toward each other with corresponding force, so that the harder the wire is strained the more firmly it will be gripped. To afiord mutual support to the lever ends against a twisting strain, which might cause them to separate by bending sidewise, I have made a slot or mortise, 1;, through one part, and passed the other handle or lever through said slot, as shown. The ends of said levers cannot then be forced asunder.

In using this device,the posts being set in a proper way, the wires are laid along in position. The stretcher is then applied near to some convenient post P, and the lever h, being inserted,as shown, and rested against said post as a fulcrum, force is applied to said lever h and the wire is stretched. If one operation is not sufficient to fullystretch the wire, it may be clamped by any convenient means, while the forceps are advanced to get a fresh hold, and this maybe repeated as frequently as is necessary.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A wire-stretching forceps composed of parts a b, hinged together at c, and having their ends crossed, as shown, to constitute a loop, 9, adapted to receivealever, h, and provided with wire-gripping jaws d e, graduated to grip wires of different sizes, as set forth.

2. A wire-stretching forceps composed of parts a b, hinged together at c, and having their ends crossed, as shown, to constitute a loop, 9, adapted to receive alever, h, and provided with wire-gripping jaws d e, extending laterally, so that the wire may pass through said jaws and along the side of the forceps, as shown.

WALTER G. GARTH.

\Vitnesses:

J. S. HAYS, O. T MOOUE. 

